VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta(voinews): Cap Go Meh Festival has been considered as one of intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Chief of Presidential Staff Office Moeldoko noted while opening the festival in Singkawang City, West Kalimantan.

"I am very intrigued by the symbols etched in Singkawang City," he said in a speech he delivered in the opening ceremony of the festival on Sunday.

He also lauded State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir who took his time to come to the event.

"State-Owned Enterprises Minister is very busy. But because of his love for Singkawang, he (makes time to) attend," he informed.

Moreover, he also expressed his delight because he could celebrate the Cap Go Meh Festival  in that city.

He compelled all the guests who were at the event to shout the slogan, 'may Singkawang be great'.

Moeldoko affirmed that the Cap Go Meh Festival had been listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Such stipulation served as commendation from global community to Indonesia.

He recounted his time back when he was commander at Tanjungpura Regional Military Command in West Kalimantan, during which there was an argument revolving dragon statue in Singkawang.

"I said: 'hey, you all. Before you were born, Singkawang had already been like this. Don't mess around,' " Moeldoko said.

He recalled that he had said that he would be the first one to protect the statue if anything bad happen to it.

On the occasion, he encouraged everyone to join efforts to develop Singkawang City for the better in the future, so as to be like other countries which succeeded in developing their tourism sector.

In the festival, several thousands of people —including local residents and guests— would witness the festival proceedings, which showcased nine dragons attraction performed by Saint Yosef Singkawang City group, line of 13 jailangkung (vegetable baskets filled with spirits), hundreds of tatung or shamans possessed by ancestral spirits, as well as drums and altar poles carried by several people.

Hundreds of people kept up with the procession, which stopped by the main podium to greet the guests who took seat beneath a tent adorned in red and white. (antaranews)

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is optimistic that tourism in ASEAN would continue to grow through support from improvement of human resources and MSMEs to be able to face global economic challenges.

The growth in international tourist visits in 2022 reflects strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, he remarked while opening the 26th Meeting of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers-ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2023 here Saturday.

According to Uno, the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that 900 million more tourists had undertaken international travel in 2022, thereby indicating a two-fold increase as compared to that in 2021.

While the travel rate has increased, this figure only grew about 63 percent from the total international tourist travel recorded during the period before the pandemic, he explained.

Middle East and Europe became regions with the highest growth of around 83 percent from before the pandemic, he pointed out.

Moreover, the US and Africa recorded a growth of 65 percent, while Asia as well as the Pacific only clocked an about 23-percent growth from before the pandemic.

Thus, Uno expressed gratitude that the participants can meet in the forum that will be the starting point to boost tourism growth in the ASEAN region.

ASEAN’s long journey in confronting crises in the tourism sector within the last few decades have made each of the countries more resilient and they are deemed to be able to face this challenge together, he remarked.

Uno cited the number of international tourist visits to Indonesia in 2022 that is estimated to surpass the target in 2023, especially since China lifted travel restrictions.

To this end, the Indonesian government has set an ambitious target for this year and the next, Uno remarked.

During the event, the minister also stated that this year's ATF meeting is very special for Indonesia.

This is especially since the event serves to carry forward the success of Indonesia's G20 Presidency while also fulfilling the commitment in the G20 Bali Guidelines of bolstering recovery efforts through improving the capability of human resources.

It also expands ASEAN's goal of becoming the epicenter of the world's economic growth. (antaranews)

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar signed a defense cooperation action plan between Indonesia and Turkey in Bakanliklar, Ankara, Turkey, on Friday.

“We have just signed a very historic and important pact, namely an action plan, which is a follow-up to the strategic cooperation relationship between the two countries,” Subianto noted in a written statement received here on Saturday.

The signing of the action plan between the two ministers is aimed at strengthening cooperation to increase the potential of the defense industry and military training.

“I am optimistic that the close cooperation, in the framework of strategic partnership between Turkey and Indonesia, can contribute to peace and stability in the world,” the minister affirmed.

During the Friday visit, Minister Subianto and the Indonesian delegates received a warm welcome from the Turkish minister. Subianto thanked his Turkish counterpart for the warm welcome.

"Once again, thank you for the warm welcome, (and) the cooperation that has existed so far, and we are looking forward to the next historic cooperation," Subianto noted.

Speaking in connection with the meeting, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar explained that the two parties had discussed about the smooth implementation of the cooperation that had resulted in the cooperation action plan.

“It is important for us to increase the potential for military training and cooperation between Turkey and Indonesia in the defense industry,” he remarked.

Through the cooperation, Akar is upbeat that bilateral relations between Indonesia and Turkey in the field of defense would be able to offer positive contributions.

“(This is) not only for the national interests of the two countries but also for regional security,” the minister stated. (antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews.id): Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has called for efforts to increase college graduates' skills and knowledge to help them meet the demands of the job market.

This is also important for preparing productive, qualified human resources in order to keep up with the global competition, she said in a statement received here on Friday.

"Admittedly, to live up to a profession to the fullest, one needs a number of skills to be able to do that profession properly," she added.

According to the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry, only 20 percent of university graduates pursue work related to the major they studied.

Moreover, as per data from Statistics Indonesia, 8.4 million people, or 5.83 percent of Indonesia’s total working-age population of 208.54 million, were unemployed in February 2022. Of the 8.4 million, 14 percent were diploma and bachelors degree holders.

Moerdijat said she is confident that thorough preparation through the collaboration of several stakeholders is necessary to ensure that graduates of tertiary education can find employment once they meet the demands of the job market.

Thus, she called for practical programs to be hosted on an extensive scale so as to improve university graduates' competencies and address the disparity between their actual skills and industry demands.

Moerdijat said she believes that in the long term, national education that creates great and productive human resources will be required.

She also called for better collaboration between universities and the industry for creating capable and competitive citizens.

She urged stakeholders at the central and regional levels to be committed to fulfilling the daily nutritional needs and medical services of every child as well.

She said she is optimistic that the combination of adequate nutrition from an early age and an education system that can meet the demands of the job market will result in strong and competitive human resources. (Antaranews)